Rank meaningless if state apparatus can’t curb illegal mining: Prabowo

President Prabowo Subianto highlighted the importance of law enforcement in combating illegal mining during his recent State of the Nation address. The Indonesian leader called on senior officers from both the National Police and Indonesian Military (TNI) to utilize their positions to curb the surge of illegal mining activities.

Prabowo expressed frustration over the fact that these 1,000 illegal tin mines in Bangka Belitung Islands had operated without the awareness of either the National Police or the TNI. He demanded that the Police Chief, Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, investigate these mines and that the TNI Commander, Gen. Agus Subiyanto, probe whether or not his personnel were involved in these illegal practices.

Prabowo questioned the rationale behind giving senior ranks to officers who cannot control such illicit activities, stating "How come the military and the police did not know about these 1,000 mines?" Last year, in his inaugural state address, Prabowo had claimed that over 1,000 illegal mining operations had caused at least Rp 300 trillion (US$16.8 billion) in state losses.